The U.S. Postal Service will ship ashes. Use Priority Mail with Certified Return Receipt Requested. Ashes must remain in the plastic/cardboard box in which you received them. Place the original box inside another box.

Insert the completed Authorization for the Scattering of Cremated Remains at Sea and payment (if not paying by credit card) in the outer shipping container.

New England Burials at Sea assumes no responsibility for shipments made by the customer.

We often get asked the question on, “How do I air travel with cremated remains?”

We do recommend carrying a copy of this TSA press release with you when you travel. We do not recommend checking human cremated remains as checked baggage but actually carrying on with you for full security and peace of mind.

If you are comfortable with shipping to us directly viaUSregistered mail (The same way they ship gold and stock certificates) that is the safest and only way to ship cremated remains and you can ask us to send you that information and simple procedure as well. Please note, only theUSAmail will ship human cremated remains. UPS and FED-X will not.

We have listed the important salient points of these following TSA releases for your convenience.

We recommend the simple cremation receptacle that comes from the crematory for a shipping container while on your person for easy x-ray .

WASHINGTON, D.C – The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) today announced a partnership with the nation’s funeral homes to ensure that cremated remains are safely and securely transported through airport security checkpoints.

“Americans have recognized the need for measures that have dramatically increased aviation security since the events of September 11th,” said Ron Sokolov, Executive Director for Customer Service and Education. “As more Americans transport cremated remains, TSA and the nation’s funeral homes are striving to educate the public on the best method to move cremated remains through checkpoints in a manner that is both respectful to loved ones and secure.”

To maintain the highest level of security, TSA determined that documentation from a funeral home about the contents of a crematory container was no longer sufficient to allow the container through a security checkpoint and onto a plane. Since February of this year, all crematory containers must pass through an X-ray machine. If a container is made of a material that prevents screeners from clearly seeing what is inside, the container will not be allowed through the checkpoint. Out of respect for the deceased, screeners will not open a container, even if requested by the passenger.

TSA recommends that passengers transport remains in temporary or permanent “security friendly” containers constructed of light-weight materials such as plastic or wood. Temporary containers are typically available from funeral homes and offer a security friendly means to travel by air with a crematory container. Once the passengers complete their travel, they can visit their local TSA’s Funeral Home Partner who will transfer the remains from the temporary container to the permanent container free of charge. The complimentary “Remains Transfer Service” has been embraced by the funeral industry and already many funeral homes have requested to become partners in this important customer service effort. ###

Transporting the Deceased

Special Needs Traveling with Crematory Remains

We understand how painful losing a loved one is, and we respect anyone traveling with crematory remains. Passengers are allowed to carry a crematory container as part of their carry-on luggage, but the container must pass through the X-ray machine. If the container is made of a material that generates an opaque image and prevents the Transportation Security Officer from clearly being able to see what is inside, then the container cannot be allowed through the security checkpoint. (Capt Brad Comment You will then have to check the container)

Out of respect to the deceased and their family and friends, under no circumstances will an officer open the container even if the passenger requests this be done. Documentation from the funeral home is not sufficient to carry a crematory container through security and onto a plane without screening.

You may transport the urn as checked baggage provided that it is successfully screened. We will screen the urn for explosive materials/devices using a variety of techniques; if cleared, it will be permitted as checked baggage only.

Some airlines do not allow cremated remains as checked baggage so please check with your air carrier before attempting to transport a crematory container in checked baggage.

Crematory containers are made from many different types of materials, all with varying thickness. At present, we cannot state for certain whether your particular crematory container can successfully pass through an X-ray machine. However, we suggest that you purchase a temporary or permanent crematory container made of a lighter weight material such as wood or plastic that can be successfully X-rayed. We will continue to work with funeral home associations to provide additional guidance in the future

Here is the longer versdion of the above from the USPS

Instructions for US Postal Service Shipments of Ashes

UPS and Federal Express will not accept cremated remains for shipment. The U.S. Postal Service will.

Use only Priority Mail Express Service when shipping cremated remains and request Certified Return Receipt Requested meaning we sigh for them. Cremated remains must remain in the plastic/cardboard box in which you received them. Place the original box inside another box. Insert the completed Authorization for the Scattering of Cremated Remains at Sea and payment (if not paying by credit card) in the outer shipping container in an envelope.

New England Burials At Sea assumes no responsibility for shipments made by the customer. We will acknowledge receipt of the ashes with photo documentation and will advise the scheduled date of the sea burial service based on weather and vessel scheduling.

UPDATE as of 01/2014

Proper Transport of Human Cremated Remains:

Following the rules:

There are a number of issues involved in transporting cremated human remains. Getting from point A to point B may require a few decisions and will be best achieved by planning well in advance. A variety of documents (death certificate, certificate of cremation, various authorization forms, etc.) will be required, and you may need to involve a licensed funeral director in sending and/or receiving the cremated remains. Generally in the USA you can and should only ship via USPS.

Shipping by U.S. Postal Service:

Effective December 26, 2013, the Postal Service revised Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service, Domestic Mail Manual (DMM) 601.12 to require mailers to use only Priority Mail Express service when shipping cremated remains. The Postal Service will no longer authorize cremated remains to be sent using Registered Mail service. Although these revisions will not be published in the DMM until January 26, 2014, these standards are effective immediately.

Another important consideration is to require a signature for delivery.

The United States Postal Service (USPS) now places a special sticker (above) on any cremated remains being mailed domestically or internationally. According to the USPS, the label will not be required but it is highly recommended to increase visibility during USPS processing and transportation.

Previously cremated remains were not identifiable in the mail stream. If a package containing cremated remains cannot be located while in the Postal Service’s possession, it can be upsetting to families. The Label 139, “Cremated Remains”, will allow USPS to identify these packages during processing and transportation and ensure they are handled with care. The label will only be applied by a USPS employee when a postal customer indicates the package contains cremated remains.

The Cremated Remains label is available for customers through the Postal Store at usps.com, enabling you to apply it prior to taking it to the post office.

If you have any questions, contact CANA at 312-245-1077 or get in touch with your local post office.

Transporting by Air…

Most airlines will allow you to transport cremated remains, either as air cargo, or as carry-on or checked luggage (traveling with you). Whether shipping as air cargo or as carry-on/checked luggage, consider all of the following steps:

Check with the airline to determine their exact policies on either shipping or handling as luggage. You can find this information by searching the airline website for “cremated remains”. NOTE: some airlines will not accept cremated remains in checked luggage, while others may only accept it as checked luggage; some airlines require seven days notice before shipping if handled as air cargo, and in all cases the contents should be identified as cremated human remains.

Review the Transportation Security Administration requirements — click here (and use their Can I Bring app to search cremated human remains)– which require that the container must be scannable (a container returning an opaque image will not be permitted through security … either for checked luggage or for carry-on luggage).

Arrive early to ensure adequate time for security clearance.

Carry the Death certificate, Certificate of Cremation or other appropriate documentation with you (and consider attaching copies to the container), and

Make sure to check with a licensed funeral director both at your origin of travel and destination to determine if there are local laws to be considered.

Transporting Internationally:
There are even more issues involved in bringing cremated remains from…or taking them to…another country. For example, Germany requires that a licensed cemetery receive cremated remains sent to Germany…and that a licensed funeral director be involved in sending them to Germany. In addition to the steps outlined above, you should start by:

Contact the Embassy for the country you are taking cremated remains to or from; identify their specific rules and legal requirements. NOTE: you can often find this information on the website for the country…but it may also require a call.

Some countries will have additional authorizations that are required. Your contact with the Embassy should be able to provide you with the forms, although you may need to involve a licensed funeral director or even legal counsel in order to complete the information required.

Allow even more time for the process — two weeks at a minimum — as there can be a number of steps involved.

We hope this guide has been useful to you. It can be a frustrating process to try to transport the cremated remains of a loved one, but it is useful to understand that the rules and requirements often have a basis in ensuring proper care for your loved ones remains as well as abiding by local customs and traditions. Be patient, and your patience can be rewarded by a positive experience in getting your loved one to the proper destination.

Shipping Cremated Remains:

Am I Doing It Right?

Perhaps the most common question I hear when speaking with funeral directors and families is, “How should we ship cremated remains?”

It turns out there are very few legal and non-prohibited options for shipping human cremated remains in the United States.

First and foremost, let’s look at the laws involved in shipping cremated remains. The laws vary from state to state, but the most stringent of laws require that a shipment have three things:

1. A tracking number

2. A signature upon delivery

3. A label stating “This Box Contains the Cremated Remains

of: John Smith”

That’s it. Seems simple right? Not exactly.

Now that we know “how to ship” the cremated remains, we need to know who will ship the cremated remains. Unfortunately, UPS, FedEx, DHL, Ontrac, and GSO all list cremated remains as “Prohibited Items”. What exactly does that mean to you?

According to Poul Lemasters, principal of Lemasters Consulting and ICCFA’s Cremation Programs Coordinator, “Shipping cremated remains in spite of it being listed as a shipping service’s prohibited item means that any insurance coverage that you have paid for on the package is null and void. This basically gives you NO PROTECTION when faced with a lost package.”

It turns out that the only carrier that is willing to ship cremated remains is the United States Postal Service (USPS), and it’s not exactly simple. When you arrive at the Post Office to ship cremated remains, there are actually only ONE option for shipping them domestically within the United States: USPS Priority Mail Express. This selected service removes the package from the Post Office’s regular mail-stream, providing increased security.

The benefit of this shipping method is that each package is guarded during transit and locked in a cabinet at the end of the day, at every stop it makes between you and the destination, adding an extra level of security.

We have found that the typical cost doing it the right way is $25.00 – $39.00 as of January 2014

Thank you for selecting New England Burials At Sea for your BURIAL AT SEA SERVICES Company.